CHARGERS TAKE THE OFFENSIVE, BOOKING FLIGHT ON AIR CORYELL

Air Coryell may be a bit rusty, in need of a tuneup and some bright work, but Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith has hired on several technicians and mechanics and hauled it out of the hangar. It’s now up to coach Norv Turner to make the restoration into something other than the Spruce Goose and straighten up and fly it right.

If this offseason hasn’t made it obvious, then you’ve missed what’s plain on the nose of your face. The Chargers, still tinkering with their defense, are going to try to outscore people — with what they hope will be the most prolific offense we’ve seen around here since Don Coryell crouched and grimaced as though eternally constipated on the sidelines while his guys moved the football as if it were engulfed in flames.

Everything Smith has done through free agency, the draft and the signing of undrafted free agents, can lead us to no other conclusion. And while he won’t flat-out say it, his words are close enough.

Smith served as a Chargers scout during Coryell’s later seasons, when the machine was breaking down, but he hasn’t forgotten how difficult Don and co-pilots such as Ernie Zampese (Norv’s mentor) made it on the league. If the GM admires a newer model, it’s Bill Belichick and the Patriot Way. New England’s lighthouse is one that can keep you off the rocks.

I don’t know what other GMs do, but Smith thoroughly studies NFL franchises, especially the successful ones. And he didn’t miss the Patriots, with a shoddy defense that gave up acres but didn’t allow too many points, reaching the Super Bowl in February. The Pats haven’t had a dominating defense in some time.

This is what the Chargers have to be, for now at least, until the next craze hits The League. Decent defensively. They can’t be last getting off the field on third downs.

In 2012, this is a system that works. The Giants won a Super Bowl despite having their secondary destroyed before the start of the season. As much as Smith wants a “dictating, dominating defense,” the NFL blueprint for winning has changed. Point is, and a point well taken, is that you needn’t be the ’75 Steelers or ’85 Bears to be playing in February anymore.

Peyton Manning’s now in Denver. Maybe he’ll be as good a quarterback as he was — which was great — but, at 36, it doesn’t figure he can still be that Peyton, at least not over a long stretch. Maybe he won’t play at all. But the Chargers must be prepared to face him, and while Smith still firmly believes defense wins championships, he knows just being solid, playing smart and not screwing things up could be enough.

“We need a prolific offense,” he says. “I’m focusing on our division. I want our defense fixed, but I like this offense, and I like Norv Turner and Philip Rivers having their heads together in this offense. Our offense has to spend more time on the field.